A surgical retrieval device may be used, for example, to retrieve calculi from a body. The device may be used through an endoscope or a laparoscope, or it may be used without the aid of an endoscope or a laparoscope.
One type of surgical retrieval device has a sheath and a basket formed from wires. The basket is moveable in and out of the sheath. The basket may be collapsed within the sheath to achieve a reduced diameter profile. The basket may be opened when it extends beyond the distal end of the sheath.
Some retrieval devices include wires grouped together inside a cannula with the wires joined via soldering or welding to form a ball. Manufacturing of such devices may be costly and time consuming. Other devices have wires that are twisted and/or knotted together to eliminate a welded or soldered tip at the distal end of a basket. The tips of such devices may hinder access to calculi and may increase the possibility of tissue damage.